Melinda K Butterworth

Melinda Butterworth teaches about and researches issues that sit at the intersection of the social and natural environments. She completed her PhD at the University of Arizona in the School of Geography and Development. Her previous work has focused on the social and environmental dynamics of mosquito-borne disease in the southern US. More recently she has collaborated with local partners to understand the health impacts of environmental hazards (heatwaves, droughts, severe storms, wildfires, etc) on communities within Marion and Polk Counties in Oregon. Her research is grounded in a mixed methods approach that engages a range of qualitative and quantitative tools, including semi-structured interviews, focus groups, surveys, and dynamic modeling. In the ENVS department she teaches courses that contribute to the social science side of the major. She is also an affiliated faculty member of the Public Health Ethics, Advocacy, and Leadership (PHEAL) program. Originally from the east coast, she enjoys exploring the PNW with her partner, kids, and two dogs.